Congestion Indigestion

So congestion pricing in New York City is dead, at least for now. The plan, which would have charged cars entering Manhattan's business core $8 apiece and trucks $21 died in the state legislature without ever coming up for a vote. The question is, why and how? Was congestion pricing simply a bad idea, or just one that wasn't properly presented and thought out?

One of the primary misconceptions about congestion pricing was precisely who would be affected. The fact is, an overwhelming majority of city residents wouldn't be affected at all. Somewhere between 80 and 85% of those living in the five boroughs use public transportation to get to and from work. Huge numbers of New Yorkers don't even own cars.

So then, in whose interest were those members of the State Assembly who opposed the pricing plan acting? Anyone who has driven in midtown Manhattan, day or night, has experienced the pollution spewing gridlock that threatens the long term economic viability of the city. Now that congestion pricing has gone down for the count, don't expect the politicians who killed it to come up with an alternative. Some were mentioned in passing, but none will get done.

Congestion pricing was never a perfect solution to New York's traffic woes. One big problem was that it was never properly explained to the public. Most people never thought the money generated by it would go to mass transit as promised. The fault for that lies in the hands of the very people we elect to govern us.

Not that they'll accept it.